133 comments

I fiiinally got around to seeing it. Quite enjoyed it! Location and monster were fun, the villain dude worked well within the narrative, and Bill and the Doctor… It’s only been 3 episodes and their relationship has grown on me more than other companion/Doctor relationships have done in an entire series!

booboo my thoughts exactly! The show is making it look like its The Master. But i reckon its Doctor 13! What a great way to reveal if it is!

Exterminator

April 17th, 2017 - 7:02pm

A Tardis, possibly the meddling monks one still disguised as a church altar.

DOCTORDREDD67

April 17th, 2017 - 8:01pm

I am thinking its the FIRST doctor trapped by the Master behind the vault doors. This may appear in the cybermen episode where the first doctor met the Mondassian Cybermen !!! The master captures the 1st doc and tries to save the Mondassian cybermen. !!!

Mark Belsom

April 17th, 2017 - 9:16pm

All the Doctors,maybe.

Doctor Stu

April 17th, 2017 - 10:46pm

Jar Jar Binks

The Dalek Whovian

April 18th, 2017 - 1:58pm

All complete parts to The Dalek’s Masterplan?

Xcess Baggage

April 18th, 2017 - 3:33pm

the big red robot thing that Nardole’s he’d use to be in.

D0CT0R WH0

April 18th, 2017 - 5:30pm

In the trailer you see the vault doors being hit from inside as if something big is trying to get out. I don’t know what could be inside but it must be something big.

Weeping Angel

April 19th, 2017 - 9:49pm

It has gallifrian symbols on so maybe a time lord (e.g. the master, the doctor(s)) or something that the time lords trapped because it was too dangerous (e.g john Simms master or the mondasian Cybermen)

r1ch1e

April 17th, 2017 - 3:13pm

Please excuse me for being really dumb but that music that was played at the very start of the episode, is that Bills theme? If it is then it is so charming. The incidental music on Dr Who has always been unrivalled in my opinion. Also i think that the music in previous series has had a tendency to drown out the dialogue (something that happens in to many BBC shows i feel) and in this episode it was pretty well toned. Yet another good aspect to this episode.

I think it is, I hope it is! I agree, it’s a really nice theme, that seems to really compliment the Bill, and her relationship with the Doctor without getting in the way of a scene.

Doctor Stu

April 17th, 2017 - 1:38pm

I really, really, really wanted a flashback to the Doctor wiping Donna’s memory and the Doctor forgetting Clara when he was about to perform the kind wipe especially when Bill said ‘how would you feel, if someone did this to you” I thought that was the perfect opportunity

I didn’t. I’d rather forget Clara and it would have ruined the ‘Jumping on episode’ they were aiming for.

Pats86

April 17th, 2017 - 5:14pm

I wish someone could wipe my memory of Clara!

Jordan Scott

April 17th, 2017 - 7:19pm

I think the music in the background was enough

47

April 17th, 2017 - 10:02am

It was O’K.
I liked the story, Bill was much better than the introduction skit that came out to introduce the character, and I look forward to seeing more. I just hope they don’t dumb things down too much ( “I fatted her..”) no need for that, and it did appear The Doctor slowed down for puffing billy…. (no pun intended) … I do like Capaldi, and hope he gets strong stories for him and the character development/growth of his Doctor, without it always being about the companions and how they lead or develop him.
Nardole is a waste of space, one would hope for less screen time, or better still, just be quiet, or meet an awesome grisly ending. And none of those will happen, so just grit my teeth and put up with it. Why does Moffat perpetuate with constant need for woeful comic relief -it’s terrible, and far too many toilet gags….. No need for any of them.
Overall then for this episode, I quite enjoyed it, positive start for the season, and I look forward to the rest of it. Good, good !!

I found Nardole alright in this one. I mean, he’s got no reason being there really, but one or two of his lines made me simile, most notably the ‘We got there eventually’ line.

Wibbly Wobbly, Timey Wimey

April 17th, 2017 - 5:47am

Overall I enjoyed this episode very much. The story’s simplicity was very welcome after Season Nine, and I liked Bill a lot.

I also found Nardole to be improved. He didn’t seem to be as goofy as before, and I liked how the Doctor went to Australia (I live there).

Is the Doctor creating replica’s of his past screwdrivers as keepsakes, because he doesn’t have some of his sonic’s. His previous one, for instance, which appears in this episode, was lost in Season 9.

Also, I found it annoying that they played Clara’s theme music when the Doctor was about to wipe Bill’s memory. Why are they doing this?

Bill said how would you feel if it was you – The Doctor had his mind erased regarding Clara, hence the subtle theme playing in the background. As much as I don’t want Clara mentioned, it was a nice touch and relevant to the moment.

Sid Rat

April 17th, 2017 - 12:15am

I enjoyed that, a better episode than many previous 12th Doctor episodes. Am warming a little now to the 12th doctor.

The chemistry between the Doctor, Nardole and Bill was excellent in this episode, in my opinion. I adore seeing the Doctor as the teacher/professor figure (literally in this case) to Bill. I really enjoyed seeing Nardole too, his interactions with Bill and the Doctor provided a lot of heart and fun, without getting in the way! I’m looking forward to seeing the trio again next week and the rest of the series!

Having just rewatched the episode i’ve come to the following opinion:-
– The story was ok. The pacing seemed off and it kept jumping around and felt rushed for doing so. The Daleks seemed shoehorned in just for the sake of it and had barely any impact on Bill. They are meant to the scary!
– I enjoyed Bill as a character and look forawrd to more but i feel had the story been better paced and they stayed in one place she would have developed better. Its like Moffat wanted to show it all at once as apose to gradually introducing the different concepts, and this leaves me thinking what more is there for her to know. It makes it look like he wanted it all done instantly so he can get on with the rest of the series.
– Capaldi was good as usual.
– Nardole though not as annoying as before served no purpose to the story what so ever.
– As far as episodes go, its by no means the worst but overall it left me a little deflated.

i have been looking forward to watching the new series very much and had enjoyed watching the first story very much, It was good to see the Doctor on top form, Nardole brought many comical moments and Bill was very very excellent as the new companion who enjoys everything scifi and mysterious events. i shall enjoy the rest of the series very much with so many enemies to deal with.

The episode was good, glad they have brought Nardole back. Bill is a good companion, although am disappointed with the fact that thr Dalek/Movellan war was on screen for little more than a minute. Moffat stated he did not want the media making a huge deal of Bill being gay, yet thats what the focus of the episode was on.

I will admit though that it was a good way of introducing the show to a new audience.

However, i really cannot understand why there are so many people hating Missy and Nardole. Missy is a female version of the Master, just deal with it. The Doctor’s personality changes each time he regenerates, so obviously so does the Master’s. And now hes changed gender, she is bound to be flirtatious with the Doctor, its her way of winding him up.

Everyone seems to blame Jenna Coleman for a “terrible” companion role as Clara, but you all seem to forget that its down to the writers. Mffat created Clara Oswald. So all of you saying that Moffat does a great job, bear in mind, he made Clara. And for me personally, Clara was a great companion, and it looks like Bill is following in her footsteps.

But Missy never tries to invade the world or get more lives. She just follows the Doctor around the place doing vaguely evil things. Turning the dead into Cybermen as a present is just plain stupid, she could have killed the Doctor with that, shes only in Magician Apprentice to explain away her survival.

Doctor Stu

April 16th, 2017 - 2:39pm

Missy might be a incarnation before John Simm instead of after him so it would make more sense if they meet eachother

Missy is the current master, I don’t know why people are so hung up on this. Master is resurrected for the time war, he goes into hiding as yana regenerates into simm, gets trapped on gallifrey, gallifrey returns to the universe in hiding and master leaves regenerating at some point into missy. It’s been established that gender in time Lords is fluid, and not an issue for them, so don’t worry about it. If the doctor had reacted in shock and horror at the news that the master was now female or the if the time Lord who changed male to female in hell bent had reacted with anything other than a shrug then fine, that would have meant it’s unusual for gender change but they don’t so gender change isn’t an issue with time Lords.
I much prefer Michelle gomez to simm. More to the point I would like to see simm get a chance at better stories than the ones he had which I didn’t rate, give him better stories and I’ll reacess him. But for me missy is the best master since Delgado.

Pats86

April 16th, 2017 - 7:17pm

Whorules, how come the Doctor never changed gender during ALL his regenerations before he was given more by the Time Lords? If gender is a fluid for Time Lords?
Can’t be that fluid can it? Only since Moffat got his hands on the show did this happen! Never happened before or mentioned before!

Pats86

April 16th, 2017 - 7:20pm

And Simm is way superior to Gomez’s Master/Missy.

Doctor Stu

April 16th, 2017 - 8:05pm

I don’t care the Master is now female it doesn’t bother me but by my understanding, John simm gets taken back to gallifrey by Rassilon at the end of the end of time and presumably ‘dies’ and regenerates into missy but is trapped due to the time lock. Once gallifrey is saved he’s able to escape and peruse the doctor now as Missy. Thats what I thought happened in the timeline so I was assuming that john simm regenerates directly after the end of time which is why him meeting missy wouldn’t make sense as there’s no room to squeeze this meeting in so then I theoried that maybe I was wrong and Missy came before Simm that’s all I was saying. I think. I dunno.

Anonymous

April 16th, 2017 - 8:07pm

Pats86 maybe the doctor has. Ever benn a woman because they were scared of the backlash from people if the doctors a woman so be it that’s cool great it’s a step forward

Whorules

April 16th, 2017 - 9:53pm

Here’s one to think about in the “it’s never happened before” argument.

In 1975 a major change to who continiuty took place, did fans react angrily? Not sure, but it contradicted established lore and from the same writer who originally established said lore. A new character was introduced – davros. Now in established who lore the daleks came from a race called the Dals not kaleds, they evolved out of the neutron, not genetic experiments, in all stories prior to genesis the daleks were supreme, then davros arrives and the dalek spend the rest of the classic era playing henchmen to a chap in a bath chair!
So here’s my point, fans should be furious over this, they should have been railing over the changing of an established idea. But we didn’t we just got on with enjoying the show. In saying that time lord’s gender can change moffat is just reflecting a changing and for the better attitude in the world. Gender is unimportant. Embrace change. If we didn’t who wouldn’t have survived so long. If it offends you so much – then stop watching… I for one will continue to watch and try to be positive.

Whorules

April 16th, 2017 - 10:13pm

Here’s another change in time Lord biology. At some point between wheel in space and spearhead from space the doctor gains a heart! Unless doctor Gemma Corwen is a particularly poor doctor, she makes no mention of a second heart beat. Now we just accept time Lords have 2 hearts. Until spearhead he didn’t.

Whorules

April 16th, 2017 - 10:22pm

Moffat isn’t saying time Lords change gender all the time just that it can happen and that they don’t care. The time Lord in hell bent had been a man once in what? Ten bodies? I don’t understand the reaction to this. How do we know the master has always been a man? Delgado is usually written as the last incarnation of the master, Peter pratt having tried to regenerate after using up all regenerations. So now he’s a woman so what

Pats86

April 16th, 2017 - 10:24pm

Never said it offends me! I simply don’t like the idea. I am like many others a life long fan (1970 onwards) to me the Doctor was a male role model like no other, why not just have a new female Time Lord with new adventures of her own?
I do embrace change….when he regenerates. No need to reflect change for a better attitude in the world by changing the Doctors gender, after all he has been doing this since 1963 and horror of horrors as a MALE!
I agree gender isn’t important or shouldn’t be, but as I say the Doctor is my childhood hero and I don’t like this gender change mess that Moffat has created, or am I not alowed to have such thoughts? It appears that way when some say “stop watching then” most will watch forever even if he remains male, many would stop if he became female and we all know this (not saying I would stop)

Whorules

April 17th, 2017 - 1:11am

Relax pat86, I wasn’t implying anything about you, I’m a child of the 70s as well, although oddly I wouldn’t say I looked at the doctor as a role model think I looked at the companions more for that, not gender just attitude, honesty, bravery, selflessness, think that’s why I struggled with some of the 80s companions and the odd way in which they didn’t seem to want to be the TARDIS! I’ll watch the show regardless of what happens, I always have even if I’m not keen on what’s going on. I liked Colin baker as an actor, but found his TV stories a struggle then came Mccoy and I fell in love with who all over again. Things change. If a woman is cast a woman is cast. As long as she can act, well that’s all I care about.

Whorules

April 17th, 2017 - 1:27am

Sorry again pats86, didn’t make it clear, the comment about if it offends you stop watching, wasn’t aimed at you, it’s a general comment. It’s funny, I have a friend at work who’s older than me, old enough to have watched power of the daleks. He told me that at the time he hated It! Said he didn’t like this new weird guy and vowed not to watch anymore
Of course he said by the end he watched the whole story but he still didn’t take to Troughton until evil of the daleks. Just goes to show doesn’t it. Oh, he didn’t watch highlanders or the underwater menace but came back for the cybermen. He still kicks himself for not watching those stories though

Pats86

April 17th, 2017 - 5:29pm

Whorules, thanks but no need to apologise. I would like an explanation to family affairs regarding the Doctor though (not expecting you to be able to do so)
We know the Doctor has a wife and children who are missing, if his wife is still female and the Doctor changes gender do the kids have two mum’s? are the kids still the same gender as when born? All thus does not work in my head, I simply do not like the idea because it did not have to be like this, it was fine as it was!
I sincerely hope the next Doctor is female, I will still watch but not with total devotion like I do now, if it doesn’t work with a female Doctor I truly believe it could be the end of the show and what makes it worse is it need no have to happen.
Thanks for the reply I appreciate it 🙂

Pats86

April 17th, 2017 - 5:32pm

Sorry, I mean sincerely hope the next Doctor is NOT female.

Whorules

April 18th, 2017 - 12:52am

They would have two mums or two dad’s depending on which parent changed gender. The gender of the children would not change as there is no physical link between them. Maybe the doctor’s wife changed gender and became the master – would explain the bickering! (Just kidding!)

A

April 20th, 2017 - 8:50pm

Whorules. Just kidding? Who is Susan’s grandmother? I have wondered that since Doctor 12’s first episode & Missy’s hint of a gift at the birth of… in the magician’s apprentice only deepened my suspicions. Is Missy the first female regeneration of what we think of the Master or was the Master a later aspect of the boy who went mad after witnessing the untempered schism & lived all his/her lives with the “drums” of a Gallifeyan heartbeat? Is the Doctor’s ” lost” first wife actually the Master/Missy?
Pats86. If a society is gender fluid, there would surely be no problem or stigma to two parents of the same gender. As I understand it, Timelords do not have a conscious choice on how or to what they regenerate. There would be no gain to any Galllifreyian authority to promote any prejudice with regards to what happens when one parent changes gender given that any lawmaker in said authority might be hit be the proverbial bus and wake up as a different gender. Society & culture are always determined by the people who make the laws.

A

April 20th, 2017 - 10:03pm

Hit BY the proverbial bus… Typo…. Damn it.

The Outcast

April 21st, 2017 - 3:57am

Actually, they do have a choice. It’s been stated in series 8 and 9 that the Doctor sub-consciously chose his face but even before then, in the Classic series, Romana tested several bodies before settling on the form of Princess Astra, clearly chosing that appearence. It seems some Timelords are better at controlling regeneration. Perhaps Timelords learn how to do this at the academy.

Whorules

April 22nd, 2017 - 7:03pm

I put just kidding to stop any abuse, but it wouldn’t bother me if the master was revealed to have been a woman before, might also explain the “he’s my boyfriend” remarks from Missy!

the ergon

April 16th, 2017 - 1:27pm

Not a classic but still good fun. The opening, with the tardis being in the university study reminded me a little of professor chronotis in shada with shades of rose in school reunion serving chips.

Bill appears OK after the first episode, I hope she continues to be normal, I say that because Clara seemed OK at first and look what a disaster she turned out to be, the worst companion ever (even Adric had been more likeable)
Someone else has stated on here that it is better with 3 in the TARDIS, I agree and Nardole will help with that chemistry hopefully.

its most likely a fake out though. i heard there is a dystopian future episode mid-series, sort of like turn left so its not his actual regeneration.

Mark Belsom

April 16th, 2017 - 12:00pm

Could be the Master regenerating into Missy.

Mick181

April 18th, 2017 - 11:46am

And Koquiillian it just might be Kris Marshalls false doctor hr regenerates into in that distopian future episode and it turns out that it never really happened.

DalekAgent

April 16th, 2017 - 9:39am

Really enjoyed this episode and really looking forward to the other episodes. I liked Bill and i liked Nardole but i dont get why a lot of people dont like him, i found him funny especially in the scene where there all in the TARDIS and Bill wants the toilet and Nardole says “Oooh, i’d leave it for a minute or two”

I loved Bill’s TARDIS reaction and one of Matt Smith’s themes in the background, but I always love it when the companion goes back outside again to check if it’s actually smaller on the outside, like Rose, Donna and Martha

Great to see the real Master at the end of the trailer, I hope he kills Missy and stops that ridiculous plot line from actually happening.
Missy would be better as Romana or Susan, she just can’t replicate any of the Master’s past selves IMO.

Sorry I disagree completely. I absolutely love Missy and can’t wait to see what she’s been up to since we last saw her.

Anonymous

April 16th, 2017 - 10:27am

“That ridiculous plot line” already happened! MISSY IS THE MASTER!

The Outcast

April 16th, 2017 - 10:36am

I reckon Missy would be good, IF she wasn’t constantly trying to be the Doctor’s friend. She’s a villain, not the Doctor’s friend. She used to be, but isn’t now, so stop trying to pander to all the shipper fans.

JasonisnotaRobot

April 16th, 2017 - 11:25am

Maybe Missy is just a crazed fangirl who has forced herself into the role of The Master

Pats86

April 16th, 2017 - 1:06pm

Like it or not it is a ridiculous plot line to me and many others, and it can be reversed if the REAL Master kills Missy off! Moffat has caused this mess, he should clear it up, yes it already happened but it can be fixed.

I like Missy, but as I have already said she should have been a crazy Romana, Susan his missing wife or someone completely new.

the ergon

April 16th, 2017 - 1:22pm

If the doctor can meet his former incarnations why not the master? See hes regained the ainley/delgado beard.

A

April 16th, 2017 - 7:40pm

Wait… What? Pats86… You think Missy should be Susan?! Missy, who tried to snog the Doctor’s face off, should be his GRANDDAUGHTER!
As for Romana, she was always the responsible one as I recall. What do you think either of them could have gone through to become Missy?

The Outcast

April 17th, 2017 - 8:09am

I find Missy being Romana, Susan or even the Rani just a bit weird. I think Missy should be an Android copy of the Master. That’d mean she is based off the Master, but isn’t due to a malfunction or something.

Pats86

April 17th, 2017 - 6:04pm

A, never thought it through with Susan you are quite right, Romana could have gone mad from being stuck in E Space and wanted revenge on the Doctor for not attempting to go back for her (she did stay of her own accord but if she’s like my wife then she can change her mind on a hourly basis)

Dalek Sec

April 19th, 2017 - 12:39pm

I disagree I think Missy is a brilliant incarnation of the Master. However if she wasn’t the Master, she would’ve been better as the Rani.

A

April 20th, 2017 - 9:06pm

Pats86. Ok, the E Space thing has merits. By the by, I assume your wife does not frequent this site…or you could be in difficulties (one hour or the next).

Pats86

April 21st, 2017 - 5:45pm

A, no she doesn’t frequent this site, otherwise I wouldn’t be replying to your comment.

Lharkins

April 16th, 2017 - 8:29am

I enjoyed this episode a lot. The return of the movellans and the reference to all of the doctors classic screwdrivers as well as the comedic questions asked by bill.
A very good episode which surpassed my expectations of what was going to be shown.

This was a highly enjoyable episode. The story was refreshingly simple, the Doctor and Nardole are making a surprisingly entertaining duo, Bill is shaping up to be a pretty good character so far, and they actually made good use of the Daleks, despite them not being the focus of the episode. The pictures of River and Susan were a really nice touch, and the cameo by the Movellans was also really clever. The repeating game is a bit old at this point, especially since we’ve already had a water-based enemy that repeats words in a previous Steven Moffat-written episode, but I did find that it helped further the story nicely. The twist behind what the water really was was really touching, though I feel the episode should have explained what it was a little better than sentient fuel. I imagine the Vault is going to be the big overarching plot of the season, and while it’s a lot simpler than the Pandorica Opens or Silence Will Fall, I think we need a simpler story arc after the mess that was Series 8’s “heaven” arc and the incomprehensible chaos that was Series 9’s “hybrid” arc.

Loved seeing all the Classic Sonic’s as well, really good touch and reference

Mr Schnibbley

April 16th, 2017 - 3:36pm

I think the vault will be a massive anti climax as all moffats arcs have been, why coouldnt they just have a series with just great adventures climaxing in the cybermen two parter without having to have some season long arc.

Mick181

April 16th, 2017 - 5:35am

Do we read anything into the picture of Susan or are the Photos just family pictures for the Doctor sitting on his Office desk? and don’t mean anything beyond that.
What could be in the Vault? My suspician is whatever it is it ends up causing hes Regeneration.

Bill isn’t appealing to me. I found her dull compared to Clara and Martha, but we’ll see if she improves in the weeks ahead. Loved the references to Clara and Susan however and the Movellans looked great.

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